Pedagogic Research – Object Based Learning (OBL)

Within my practice teaching fashion design, I have found it incredibly useful using physical objects (clothing) as tools in my sessions. As a visual learner myself I often find when something is described to me audibly or presented to me as writing I find it hard to processes and fully understand, seeing a photograph or even better a tangible object to touch and investigate helps. I have been subconsciously using object based learning (OBL) in my teaching practice, but was unaware of it as a pedagogy until now. The image below really flicked a switch in my brain to understand how OBL can be used as a tool to target one area of investigation, but also how in the larger picture can be used to understand an object in its entirety through multiple channels of examination. 

Reading through the Spark journal ‘Teaching the tangible, remotely: Fashion as material culture.’ (Lomas & Constantino, 2022) I resonated with the issues of translating OBL focused sessions onto a digital platform. While I think they had been successful in translating this when studying a garment for its material culture, there is a bigger hurdle to jump when it comes to pattern making.

Since coming back to in person teaching I have been bringing in garments with the design details that I am teaching students to pattern cut, so they can see how the pattern pieces they are making work together when sewn into a full garment. I have found it helps them to understand, what can often be quite a complicated jigsaw. Being able to see the finished picture they are working towards on the front of the box, rather than just being handed several jigsaw pieces with no idea what it will create.

I guess the question I have to ask myself now that I’m conscious of OBL as a teaching method; is how can I implement OBL in a more purposeful and considered way to greater affect?

REFERENCES

Image 1. ‘Objects in teaching and learning’ graphic‘, Flinders University Museum of Art (2019). Available at:https://www.flinders.edu.au/museum-of-art/object-based-learning-toolkit/obl-higher-education [Accessed: 4 January 2023]

Lomas, C. and Constantino, M. (2022) ‘Teaching the tangible, remotely: Fashion as material culture.’, Spark: UAL Creative Teaching and Learning Journal, 5. Available at: https://sparkjournal.arts.ac.uk/index.php/spark/article/view/164/267  [Accessed: 10 January 2023]